


Lavender and Honey

by Auggusst



Series: The Soldier And The Scientist [28]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Bath Sex, Bathing/Washing, Bubble Bath, Dirty Talk, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Hand Jobs, M/M, Nightmares, Protective Tony Stark, Romance, Steve Rogers Feels, Steve Rogers Has PTSD, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Sweet/Hot, Tender Sex, Tender loving care, in a good way, soft, tony plays steve like a fiddle, tony takes care of steve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2020-07-04
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:15:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25073716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Auggusst/pseuds/Auggusst
Summary: When Steve wakes up in the middle of the night after an intense nightmare, Tony treats him to a warm, intimate bath, intent on soothing his mind and helping him get back to sleep. He loves taking care of Steve, makes the most of it every time.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Series: The Soldier And The Scientist [28]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/468745
Comments: 16
Kudos: 140





	Lavender and Honey

**Author's Note:**

> This series needs more of Steve getting TLC! He deserves to be doted on just as much as Tony <3 I really like this one, hope you guys too!

“Let me take care of you, honey,” Tony muttered, leaving a trail of kisses down the column of Steve’s throat. His touch was soft, and warm, his hands brushing down the blond’s shoulders, circling around to run up his back, leave light scratches up his skin.

The tub was already filling steadily, the air sweet and clean with the scent of the expensive soap Tony had purchased, lavender and honey. Tony himself wasn’t fond of lavender, but it was said to be calming, so he would suffer through it for Steve’s sake. He had also dimmed the lights a little, bathing the bathroom in a warm, soft glow, like at sunset, and the privacy their luxurious bathroom afforded certainly helped settle the blond.

Steve’s head tipped back, and his eyes fluttered from the slow, warm pleasure Tony’s scratches, his touch, left running up his spine.

“Okay,” he agreed, sinking a little back into the easy, calm mood he’d been in before he fell asleep, before he woke up with his heart leaping out of his chest, stuck in the past, in one painful memory after another choking him like a vice.

Midnight baths weren’t exactly common for them, but Steve insisted he couldn’t sleep anymore, not tonight, so Tony of course, planned on keeping him company, got the whole thing ready for them while Steve stood beside the mirror, looking a little lost, a little down-trodden.

Steve’s nightmares weren’t as constant as Tony’s, but the brunet wasn’t sure if that made things better or worse. They seemed to hit Steve harder when they did come around, leave him in a foul mood for hours to come.

Two days ago they were in Boston apprehending a pretty big stockpile of stolen weapons from Damage Control, cuffing some trouble-making enthusiasts, and intercepting an attack on a Senator’s banquet, and though it wasn’t _too_ difficult, there had been a lot of groundwork, a big firefight, and the entire mission left the team kind of running on low battery, especially given the public attention it got, the large crowd of spectators it drew and the ensuing interviews.

Whenever things got busy like that, it wasn’t uncommon for Steve’s stress to manifest in his dreams. Even if he didn’t think the stress was that impactful in the moment, his subconscious made him more than aware of it at night. Sometimes his dreams just turned a little weird, kind of annoying, but easily manageable. Other times, they were…intense.

The first night home, Steve hadn’t dreamt at all, simply fell into bed after a long flight and longer briefing, spending the majority of the evening going over paperwork with Tony. Today was spent emptying his email inbox, dodging invitations to different celebrations or talk shows wanting to hear about the whole thing, which was more taxing than the mission was, in a way. They’d both turned in kind of early, wanting to forget the whole thing, but the soldier’s nightmares had another idea.

This time, it was a long one. It was kind of hard to follow actually, with the images distorting and switching around, going back and forth.

He was on Park Avenue first in the dream, with the wormhole bright and blue high above, a thousand Chitauri streaming in, blowing everything apart. That blue swallowed him up, spun him around, drove him down deep, deep into the icy waters of the Atlantic, filled his lungs and suffocated him. That dark turned into white, piercing light, like the snow falling the day Bucky fell from the train, the day Steve failed to save his best friend. He’d never forgotten Bucky’s scream, and it played again and again, on a loop, until it turned into the stream of a rocket, the ear-splitting impact of a mortar shell landing in a foxhole, men crying out left and right in a burning forest at the foot of a mountain.

Steve did his best, tried to help where he could, but he was so disoriented, so stressed, and every action seemed to trigger a negative reaction, only brought on more horror. He could hear Rumlow sneering at him, berating him, insulting him for his failures, and he could see the Triskelion, and the Insight Carriers launching into the sky, raining down bullets, taking lives because he was a second too slow. Bucky kept screaming, and his childhood smiles were replaced by the grimace of the Winter Soldier, eyes dark and blank and pained, and Steve was sure it was his fault, all of it.

Everything kept mixing all around, new snippets or memories adding fuel to the flame, driving him deeper into turmoil. It was all insane, one long, horrible play, and then it would all happen again, in different ways, becoming more and more intense, more manic, until it was unbearable. It hurt, hurt more than he could take, and he knew it was just a dream but he couldn’t break out of it, couldn’t shake off the shackles of his own mind no matter how hard he tried, like so many times before.

Steve had a habit of reacting physically to his nightmares, Tony found out pretty quick once they started sleeping together. Honestly, he didn’t know anyone with dreams as intense as theirs that wouldn’t react physically, but it was still unsettling. He never thought he’d get used to seeing Steve whimpering and moaning, thrashing around on the bed until he inevitably bolted upright and took a heaving breath, and came crashing back to reality. It could take a long time to settle him after that, to convince him things were okay. Sometimes, it even drove him to tears.

Tony just happened to be up already when it happened this time around, was in between sleep cycles and trying to convince his brain to shut off again. Steve’s calm, steady breathing at his side turned from normal to near hyperventilation in a span of seconds, and he was mumbling apologies, warnings, objections. Tony turned up the lights immediately and put a hand on the soldier’s arm, trying to gently shake him awake.

“Steve, hey, come on honey,” he’d said. “You’re dreaming, it’s just a dream, come on, wake up.” As with most times, it took a bit of force to his shaking and lots of patience to get Steve to wake, to pull him from the grasp of his nightmares. When he did, Steve jerked awake so hard it made Tony flinch, but the brunet took it in stride, shushed him, held up his hands in a gesture of calming.

“Hey, it’s okay, you’re okay,” Tony said while Steve’s anxious eyes darted from one corner of the room to another.

Steve’s heart was still pounding, and his muscles were tight with tension, ready to spring into action, until he got a proper look at his surroundings, and remembered he was safe in their bed. He let out a sharp exhale, brushed a hand over his eyes.

Tony let out a sigh of relief at his side. “That’s right, hi honey.”

“I was—I’m sorry,” Steve replied, shaking his head in disappointment. He couldn’t control his dreams, he knew, but he wished he could. He hated the nightmares, hated how they took control of him, replayed in his head, even now. They made him feel small, weak, weaker even than when he was still a tiny guy, and he hated it. He felt like a failure because of his dreams, like a victim instead of the superhero he was. He would never get over that sinking feeling. “I got…stuck. Couldn’t shake it,” he said, trying to excuse himself.

Tony set a hand on his shoulder though, rubbed it gently, looked at him with warm eyes. “There’s nothing to be sorry about,” he assured Steve. “It was just a nightmare. It’s over now.”

“Did I wake you up?” Steve asked guiltily. He was pretty tired himself, and knew that Tony rarely got the sleep he needed, so he couldn’t imagine how the brunet was feeling now, having his sleep interrupted. Tony suffered from nightmares a lot more frequently than Steve, and he also needed more sleep than the super soldier, and knowing that he could have prevented Tony from more rest always made Steve feel horrible.

The brunet shook his head. “Nah, I was already awake. Couldn’t really get comfortable,” he admitted, hoping it would placate his partner.

That seemed to relieve Steve a little, but he still felt like curling up and dying. His shoulders slumped a little further, and his brows knit. He stared down at the bed; he was still trembling a little, and tried to play it off, tightened his hands into fists. Tony’s eyes were sympathetic on him, he knew, and his sympathy was equal parts welcoming and mortifying, made something twist up in Steve’s chest that brought heat to his cheeks. He just…he really hated being affected by this, letting it all get to him.

Tony was familiar with the feeling. He hated having to rely on others, always did, but over time found himself relying on Steve, probably more than he should. Steve should be able to rely on him in return, and did, whenever he didn’t let his self-sacrificial tendencies get in the way. The nightmares were still a subject of contention for them unfortunately, especially these days.

Steve had a habit of withdrawing because of them, because he was ashamed, Tony supposed, but there was nothing to be ashamed of, and it always took a lot to remind him of that. Every time he tried to breach the subject, it turned into a little argument, so this time around, Tony opted for the roundabout way, brushed back the soldier’s bangs and placed a kiss to his shoulder.

“Let’s take a bath,” he had suggested. “Neither of us can sleep, and I can hear the bubble jets calling my name.”

Steve had agreed. He could use the distraction, and the warmth of the water would distance him from the memory of the ice, could get rid of that freezing feeling in his veins. Maybe his sleep would be more restful afterwards.

Steve could admit he was already feeling a tiny bit better out of bed now, with Tony’s hands on him, kissing his way up to Steve’s lips. He closed his eyes, let the brunet lead him on. His t-shirt was already on the bathroom floor, and Tony’s deft fingers went for his sweatpants now, tugged them down a little.

“Take these off,” Tony ordered, and withdrew his hands to shuck off his own clothes.

Steve obliged, and before he knew it Tony was guiding him by the shoulders to the tub.

The water was just the right temperature, and Steve relished in it almost immediately, slid comfortably into the tub. He let out an exhale, a little ripple of pleasure travelling down his spine as the hot water reached his back. The tub was pretty deep, and comfortable, because Tony wouldn’t have accepted anything less. If Steve chose to lay in it, the water could easily come up to his neck. The jets were blasting too, on a medium setting, and there were plenty of soapy bubbles, and Steve could admit it felt good. He was still sitting stiff and straight though, looking up to watch Tony tug down his own PJ pants, brush a hand through his hair. He looked tired, but when he met Steve’s eyes he smiled softly, fondly, and that twisted up feeling in Steve’s chest eased a little.

Steve still hadn’t leaned back, couldn’t seem to loosen up his muscles to do so.

Tony noticed. “Relax, sweetheart. Enjoy the bath.”

“I am enjoying it,” Steve protested, but he was aware that he probably looked kind of awkward, sitting straight as a board, his shoulders still too high and tight. He frowned a little at himself.

“Well if you’re not gonna get comfortable on your own, scoot up,” the scientist said, tipping his head at Steve, and Steve raised a brow but complied. He scooted up a bit so he was in the middle of the tub, and when Tony slipped in behind him he understood.

Tony let out a happy little sigh, had no qualms about enjoying the water. The scent of lavender was pretty strong, but he could admit that it only enhanced the bath, didn’t hinder it. The warm water was heaven on his limbs, which were still kind of achy from the mission earlier that week, and he knew he’d have a much easier time sleeping after this. He hoped the same could be said for Steve. He had to spread his legs kind of wide to fit around Steve’s body, but it wasn’t uncomfortable.

Tony leaned forward, picked up the bottle of soap resting on the corner of the tub, drizzled some of the smooth substance on his hands. There were a few other bottles too: shampoo, conditioner, various exfoliating scrubs and bath enhancers, and lube too. There were a lot of products in the bathroom, actually, a whole cabinet full, because Tony valued his appearance, and considering he was essentially a celebrity, kind of had to. The paparazzi didn’t shy away from close ups.

“Just relax, honey,” he said softly, starting to massage the soldier’s back. He started up at his shoulders, and gradually moved downward, working his soapy hands into the taught muscle, brushing his fingers up and down the knots of Steve’s spine.

“Just enjoy the water, sink right on in. It’s nice and warm, right? I love the jets too, especially when the tub’s filled so high like this. Just relax into it, let it do its job. I’ll get you all loosened up, sweetheart. We’ll put everything out of our minds for a while, okay? Just let it all go, and take our sweet time in here. That sound nice?”

His voice was silky, and low, horribly easy to listen to, and thoroughly enchanting. It was intentional, Steve knew. Tony rarely used that tone, unless he really needed to, like now he supposed. He knew that it always put Steve a little more at ease, made some of the grating static in his brain disappear. It made him more agreeable too, malleable to Tony’s suggestions, like the brunet was putting a spell on him.

“Yeah,” Steve found himself agreeing, leaning back a little into the grasp of Tony’s firm hands working his flesh. “Yeah it’s…it’s nice.”

“Mhm,” Tony replied knowingly. “You’re wound up all tight. All this Grade A Beef needs to be tenderized a little,” he joked, working his fingers in a little harder, massaging the tension out of the blond’s shoulders.

“It’s…I’m kinda stressed,” Steve admitted, voice low. “Have been for a while now. I can’t relax.”

“I can tell,” the brunet replied, tone full of sympathy. “Things have been kind of crazy lately. I know it hasn’t been easy on you.” He cupped his hands, brought up palmfuls of hot water to rush down Steve’s back, to rub into his skin. “Maybe we’ll catch a break soon, get some time off to let you rest.”

“I doubt that,” Steve sighed, finally relaxing a little more. He put his palm against the water jet by his thigh, let the bubbles rush over his hand. “It’s always one disaster after another.”

That much was true. It was tough to catch a break as an Avenger, and as Tony’s boyfriend. There were a lot of missions, press conferences, and events, and although Tony always insisted he could attend the more social events by himself, Steve tended to make a point of accompanying him. It was really endearing. Tony was used to galas and dinners and event openings, but he didn’t particularly enjoy them. Steve enjoyed them a lot less, he knew, but always put on a brave face, suffered through ignorant questions and unpleasant conversations and photo-ops and god knows what, insistent on sharing the burden with Tony.

Tony had never really caught a break, in any aspect of his life, but the fact that _Steve_ wasn’t catching one either irked him. Steve deserved better than that, deserved to be comfortable and happy always. Tony wished he could give that to him. Being a billionaire was useless when your partner seemed to grow more miserable by the day. Hell, Steve couldn’t even sleep interrupted this week. Tony had been lucky in the nightmare department lately. His last one was over two weeks ago, but the good streak didn’t mean shit to him if it was Steve suffering now.

He was intent on lessening some of the burden, of helping Steve feel better now, in any way he could.

Tony took his time working down Steve’s back, massaged him thoroughly, with more than a little skill. Tony wasn’t really able to massage his own back, but he regularly worked at his legs, and his neck on occasion over the years when there had been no one else around and he was too keyed up. He’d asked a masseuse about some tips once. Steve was a hell of a massager himself, was able to turn Tony into putty under his hands, but Tony would turn to putty in his hands regardless of what he did.

Either way, this massage slowly began to take effect, because Tony could feel the difference, see it in Steve’s posture, hear it in his calm breathing. There wasn’t much to say really, but the silence was a little off-putting at the moment, so Tony muttered, “Hey FRIDAY? Why don’t you play a little music? Something soft,” and then the air was filled with a dreamlike melody, played at low volume. It sort of reminded Tony of a tune he’d heard in Blade Runner once, a fusion of a lullaby, smooth jazz and synth, which he couldn’t have anticipated the AI picking, but wasn’t disappointed with.

Steve didn’t seem disappointed either, because the next time Tony’s hands passed over the small of his back, he let out a little sigh, and his head tipped back to the ceiling.

“That’s right, baby,” Tony crooned, smiling to himself. It made him happy, being able to help Steve, being able to offer a fraction of the comfort he so often got. He smeared more soap on his hands, got them good and wet, and skirted around Steve’s chest, gently pulling him back. “Just lay back, I’ve got you.”

“You really don’t have to,” Steve replied, resisting a little, and Tony didn’t need to see his face to know it was kind of red, that he was feeling a little embarrassed at being doted on.

Steve was always like that, didn’t let himself enjoy things when he was upset. He always felt the need to take care of Tony, never expected anything in return. Tony had told him time and time again that it was ridiculous, that they were _partners_ and Steve deserved just as much doting if not more than Tony for the simple fact of putting up with him, but it was impossible to convince him.

“I want to,” Tony insisted, and he dropped a kiss on the soldier’s shoulder. “Come on, Steve. Let me just hold you a while. Or do you get off on how much smaller I am when I’m laying on top of you?”

Steve snorted. He _did_ get off on that a little, loved the difference in their height, in the size of their hands, the way Tony could tuck his head under Steve’s chin, or fit between his legs. That wasn’t what was holding him back though. “No,” he replied. “I just…you’re fussing about me too much. I’m sure I could get back to sleep now,” he said, and made an attempt to scoot forward, to try and get up, but Tony pulled him back.

“Stop being so dramatic and do what I tell you,” Tony said firmly.

The blond sighed a little. “Fine,” he said, and obliged.

He slowly laid back, his head against one of Tony’s shoulders, the brunet’s gentle hands running over his chest, up and down, spreading soap. Steve’s body tipped a little further under the water, and the warmth, combined with the sensation of Tony’s fingertips brushing over his nipples had him letting out a quiet moan.

Tony liked the sound of that. “Like that?” he muttered, and rubbed his palms a little more firmly against Steve’s pecs, massaged them, drizzled more soap over his chest and rubbed it into his skin until it was slippery and warm. Steve always flushed beautifully whenever Tony played with his chest, like it was embarrassing, or simply too hot, and he didn’t want to admit it.

“Maybe the bath was a good idea,” Steve replied, shutting his eyes. “It’s…you’re…” A ripple of pleasure surged through him when Tony flicked his left nipple, unexpected but welcome, and he didn’t find the words to finish his sentence.

“I told you,” the scientist replied, and he placed a kiss on the blond’s neck, let his teeth graze the flesh. He was too tired himself for any kind of action, but with the way Steve was reacting to his touch, he couldn’t help but offer something for Steve. An orgasm would surely suck any remaining tension out of him, keep any more nightmares at bay for tonight.

He let his hand slip lower, fingers splayed, and run down Steve’s abdomen until he reached his groin, stopped a few inches short of his length. “Want me to get you off, Steve? Please let me. I love the way you sound when you do, I love making you feel good.”

Well, Steve didn’t need much convincing on that subject. He could admit the bath was helping him forget about his troubles, about the discomfort and terror of his memories, and Tony’s voice, his skilled, wandering hands, had heat starting to pool in his groin that had nothing to do with the temperature of his water.

Tony kissed him again, brushed his fingers through the dusting of blond hair beneath his hips, and Steve shifted a little, chased his touch. “Yeah,” he replied. “Yeah, if you want to.”

“Of course I want to,” Tony said, laughing a little. “You think I’d ever pass up the chance to touch you? Honey, this body deserves praising at least once a day. It’s just our damn schedule that prevents me from doing just that.”

“Come on,” Steve replied, shaking his head a little. “You’re just saying that to make me feel better.”

“It’s true,” the brunet insisted, stroking up and down Steve’s sides with light fingers. He could feel Steve’s muscles twitch beneath him, ticklish. “I could write a thesis about your body. It’d never be published for the frankly insane amount of expletives and NC-17 rated vivid detail, but I could write it.”

“This isn’t even my body,” Steve protested. “I wasn’t born like this, in case you forgot.” There was a little loathing in his tone.

Steve had long since grown used to his super soldier body, and the attention it got him, but it made him kind of bitter. Would people see him the same if the serum had just enhanced his skills and strength, but not the appearance of his body? Or were people only interested in him because he looked like this? Sometimes he wondered. Would _Tony_ have ever wanted him, the way he was before? Would he want him if Steve somehow became that again? He wasn’t sure sometimes. It made him self-conscious.

Tony sensed the change in Steve’s attitude immediately, and could guess that his mouth had gotten the better of him again. He reached for Steve’s hands, intertwined their fingers in the water.

“It _is_ your body, and it’s a very nice body. But honestly, it’s fluff. It’s icing on the cake. It’s your charm that really does me in, the way you stand up for people, the way you push back. You never let anyone get the best of you, and you’re always there when people need you. That’s really, _really_ hot,” he said.

“You already have me naked, Tony. Don’t need to sweet talk,” Steve replied.

The scientist scoffed, amused and annoyed. “I’m not sweet talking. I’m being honest. God, you’re annoying. Take a compliment, will you?”

“Because you accept them so easily,” Steve retorted, turning his head a little so he could give Tony a petulant look.

“Hush,” Tony replied, lightly tweaking one of his nipples. “This isn’t about me. This is about you. Let me spoil you once in a while.”

“Okay, okay,” Steve conceded, jumping a little at the sudden pinch.

He _did_ want to be spoiled, just always felt a little self-conscious with it.

Tony insisted that he didn’t spoil Steve enough, but the soldier thought it was more than enough. Steve owned more clothes than most people saw in their lifetimes thanks to Tony. He slept on the most comfortable and expensive sheets, had access to a private driver, could ask for anything and everything, no matter how expensive, and Tony would give it to him. Tony labored for hours in his workshop, making new things just for Steve, and although that could be attributed to job necessity, Steve knew Tony’s inventions were symbols of his love, little pieces of his heart cut out and given to his companions.

Yeah, Tony had a temper, and could be irrational, and supremely frustrating, but he always made Steve feel at home, always made him feel loved. Tony belonged to the world; he was a public figure, a celebrity, and a hero, but at the end of the day, he was Steve’s boyfriend, and moments like this reminded the blond that their relationship was of more importance than any of that.

He loved Tony, a lot, and wasn’t going to hold himself back anymore tonight. The bath was warm and relaxing, the scent of lavender still pleasantly drifting through the air, and his lover’s familiar hands were on him, begging for permission to pleasure him. He could let himself have this.

“Spoil away,” he said.

Tony looked at him a moment, and rolled his eyes fondly. “You are something else, Steve Rogers,” he murmured, and bent forward a little to kiss Steve.

Steve turned into it so the angle was a little less awkward, and closed his eyes, let the brunet’s sinful mouth lead him on, kiss him slowly but fervently, bite at his lip a little and slip his tongue inside Steve’s mouth.

The blond eased into it, and Tony’s hands went back to caressing his body, drifting down his sides and to his thighs, teasing just shy of his cock, running back up his chest, taking his time squeezing and massaging, teasing his nipples with feather-light glances, and running back down again to start all over again. It didn’t take long for Steve to get a little hard, even without Tony’s hand on his length.

Tony commanded his mouth with ease, with a quiet strength that was slow and easy but intense at the same time, and hell, it felt so good. Steve let himself get lost in it, in the feeling of his boyfriend’s hands on him, the music playing over the speakers. Tony eased off for breath with a series of smaller, shorter kisses, and it left the soldier’s head reeling, and eager for more, made him feel small and submissive, but in a way he liked, not one that felt strange or unwelcome. Tony _did_ used to have a reputation as a playboy, after all, and when the brunet took control of the reins like this, Steve wasn’t surprised that so many people were willing to fall into bed with him over the years.

Having the entirety of Tony’s attention on oneself could be overwhelming in all the right ways. Steve was mostly used to it, but there were some moments when it still took him by surprise, took his breath away, like now.

“I love you,” Tony said, and brought a hand up to brush through Steve’s hair. His eyes were deep and warm, tinged with fatigue, as they tended to be, but full of admiration.

Steve couldn’t help but smile at that, at the sincerity of it. “I love you too,” he replied, and pushed up, stole another kiss.

Tony let out a little pleased hum, and his hands slid down Steve’s chest and finally one grasped his cock, the other settling on his abdomen. Steve was already somewhat erect, just from Tony’s playful touches and his kissing, and Tony took a sense of pride in that, in being able to turn his boyfriend on without ever touching his dick.

Steve let out a little exhale and licked his lips when Tony’s familiar hand wrapped around his girth, ran up and down his shaft slowly, gently, like had all the time in the world.

“You ready for it, sweetheart? You like my hands on you?” Tony purred in his ear.

“Yeah,” Steve replied, shutting his eyes. His hands dropped to his sides, and the slow-rising heat in his core made itself a little more known, overshadowed the pinpricks of tension at the back of his mind, of worry. Tony would take care of him, he knew. That was all that mattered now.

“You got it,” Tony replied, and squeezed a bit of lube onto his palm from the nearby bottle. He set the bottle back on the edge of the tub. “I’ll take care of you, make it nice and sweet for you,” he encouraged, and brought his hand down around Steve’s length.

Tony gently worked Steve’s cock, over and over, took his time with it, a long time really, dropped it occasionally and reached down a little further to fondle his balls, pulling and squeezing in the way he knew Steve liked. He placed little kisses along Steve’s shoulder, up his neck as he did so, grazed his teeth against the blond’s collarbone.

“Look at you,” he said. “Already getting hard, just for me. God, I love you. Let’s make you feel good, huh?” he asked.

“Love your hands,” Steve mumbled back, rolled his hips forward just a fraction, eager for more. “You…god, you always feel so good.”

“Mm, thank you, sweetheart. I try my best,” Tony replied, laughing softly. He let his other hand run across Steve’s body, stroke his side, play with his pecs some more, stopped to soap him up again with one hand, reapplied some lube with the other. Tony kissed him too, explored his mouth deftly, licked into his teeth until they were both gasping for breath.

The reaction was practically instantaneous, and in what felt like no time at all, Steve’s cock was thick and hard, curving up towards his belly, and he was chasing Tony’s touch, thrusting into his hand, that delicious tug in his core twisting through him, leaving him squirming for more.

“Ah—Tony…” he gasped when his partner shifted his hand, squeezed around Steve’s shaft on an upward stroke. A bit of pre-cum dribbled out his slit, and Tony swiped it away gently, brought his thumb up to his lips and licked it.

“Love the way you taste,” Tony said. “Love you. So perfect. God, I can’t believe I get to touch you like this, baby. I’m so lucky.”

Steve let out a little moan at that, and his dick twitched in interest.

“You like that, Steve? Like my hands on you, the taste of your cum in my mouth? Like me touching you, doing it all just for you, like you deserve? God, I’d do anything for you, honey. I love you so much,” Tony said softly, the end of it turning into a sigh that told Steve his words were sincere, that he wasn’t just putting on an act. If he wasn’t mistaken, there was a firm pressure on his back that indicated Tony was enjoying all of this too, but he seemed to be ignoring it in favor of focusing on Steve.

Tony could be greedy sometimes where bedroom activities were concerned, always eager for more, but he could be a giving partner too, incredibly generous, like now. He was hard, yeah, and who wouldn’t be with Steve Rogers draped across your body, wet and soapy and erect, trying to stop himself from gasping out your name? But Tony had no interest in getting off himself tonight. He just wanted to make Steve cum, finish up their bath and head back to sleep. His erection would flag easily enough by the end of all of this.

Tony’s words, his reverent tone made Steve’s heart flutter, got him a little further gone. Tony stroked his cock again too, a little more heavy handed, as if to emphasize his point, and Steve’s hands clenched into fists, and his head tipped back a little further against Tony’s shoulder.

“Yeah, yes, I love it,” he admitted, too relaxed and increasingly desperate to pretend otherwise. It was late, and he was finally starting to get sleepy again, and he felt good, too good to care about coming across as depraved. The water had cooled just a little, and some of the bubbles were gone, but Steve’s body temperature was steadily rising, his face flushed. “Oh…”

Steve was still a little stiff against him, and Tony could see how tight his hands were clenched, but that kind of desperation wasn’t exactly what he was going for. He wanted this to be easy, to be smooth, to leave Steve sated and drowsy. “Shh, baby, that’s right, feels good, doesn’t it? You look so gorgeous, so perfect. Don’t hold back, sweetheart, just let go, relax honey, and let it happen.”

“E-easier said than done,” Steve protested, and his hips bucked into the loose channel of Tony’s fist around his dick, chasing the waves of pleasure it sent through his body. There were goosebumps on his arms now, and the water swished a little in the tub with his motions. “God, I want it,” he groaned.

“I’ll get you there, I promise. It’s no work at all. You’re always in such a rush, Steve, always want it hard and fast. Not this time, babycakes. This time, just stay loose, and breathe, and it’ll wash over you real nice, even better than when we fuck hard,” Tony promised him, pulled his hand back from the blond’s hips and brought it up to gently brush back his bangs, glance down his strong neck. “Can you do that for me, honey? Just let me do all the work?”

Steve let out a stuttering breath, and a ripple of pleasure spread through his body. “I’ll try,” he replied, and unclenched his hands, let his arms fall slack at his side.

“There we go, perfect,” Tony muttered, kissing his cheek. “Thank you, baby. You listen so well when I’ve got you spread out like this,” he said, and it was somewhat teasing, but equally affectionate.

“Hard not to when you…talk so sweet,” Steve replied, moaning a little when Tony withdrew his hand to just his fingertips, teased the leaking head of Steve’s cock.

Fuck, it was red and leaking, enough to drip down the shaft a little, and for a moment Tony considered switching positions and sucking him off, but it’d be too much work to maneuver around, and a change in position would snap Steve’s mind back to attention.

“I’ll sweet talk all day if it makes you listen better,” Tony offered jokingly. He pet Steve’s thigh, brushed his fingers against Steve’s balls, up over his groin, until he wrapped a hand around his cock again.

“Ugh, please,” Steve sighed, his head slowly tossing left and right, brows knit with the pleasure of it all. “Please, I’m…”

“You what?” Tony asked, maybe a little smug. “You wanna cum, sweetheart? Is that what you want?”

“ _Fuck_ yes,” the soldier mumbled, and then Tony was stroking him harder, better, in exactly the way he knew would make Steve come undone, like it had so many times before.

The pleasure built and built, and he could hear his heartbeat in his ears above the sound of Tony’s encouraging words, his praises, and Steve was stuck between it all, his body torn between tensing up again, arching up and taking charge to climb over that peak, or letting it climb over him instead, staying loose and open the way Tony wanted him to be.

Tony was a little breathless too now, taking in Steve’s reactions, but leading him on through it. “That’s it, that’s it, Steve, won’t you cum for me? Come on, baby, cum for me,” he said.

Steve couldn’t see Tony’s face, because his eyes were too busy rolling back in his head, but the brunet’s eyes were reverent, hungry, sweeping over the planes of Steve’s body, his huge cock, the head of it sliding in and out of the channel his fist formed.

Tony felt a possessive pride, and a deep sense of gratitude wash over him, at being able to touch Steve like this, having his trust, his vulnerability, his intimacy. He never could have anticipated his life taking him here, but he thoroughly appreciated it.

“You’re so close, aren’t you? You want it so bad, want to let go. You can let go, baby. It’s yours, just take it. Come on, sweetheart, give me your cum,” Tony crooned.

Steve let out a little breathless sob then, and one of his hands flew up to brace against the side of the tub. He was sure a bit of water splashed over the rim and onto the tile floor, but that didn’t matter. All that mattered was the sudden onslaught of sensation that ran up and through his body, left him tingling and gasping, jerking a little in Tony’s grasp.

His cock throbbed, and cum shot up over Tony’s fist, coated his stomach, almost up to his chest. The pleasure was intense, but smooth too, left him trembling with little aftershocks for at least twenty seconds.

When it was over, Steve’s weight dropped more firmly against Tony’s, and he let out a sigh, closed his eyes. God, that had been amazing. Tony had been right about it. Maybe they should take things slow more often. It would take a little more self restraint, but seemed to be worth it. He was definitely more exhausted now, and his nightmares didn’t even cross his mind. Steve felt good, and happy, and he knew that was Tony’s intention.

Tony smiled knowingly now, gently washed the cum from his partner’s slowly softening cock, used both hands to do the same to his stomach. Lastly, he splashed a few handfuls of warm water over him, starting up at his shoulders. “That was beautiful, honey. Thank you.”

“I should…I should be thanking you,” Steve replied, brushing his fingers against Tony’s hand. He intertwined their fingers, brought their hands to rest across his chest.

“It was my pleasure,” the brunet insisted, though he squeezed Steve’s hand in appreciation, rested his chin on Steve’s shoulder.

“Thank you, Tony,” the blond said quietly. He turned his head to press a slow kiss to Tony’s cheek.

It made Tony smile, made him feel warm. Steve was in a much better mood now, his fears all but forgotten, and Tony was happy he could do that for him, help him forget about it all. “No problem. You feeling better now? You look real sleepy, all relaxed and easy,” he said.

“Way better,” Steve admitted.

“Ready for bed?” Tony asked.

Steve nodded.

“Sit up a little,” the brunet replied, patting his shoulder.

The blond complied, took the time to brush a hand over his face, stretch his back. Tony slipped out from behind him and climbed out of the tub, grabbed one of the plush towels from the rack on the wall and dried himself off. Steve could have gotten out after him, done the same, but honestly, his mind was a little blank, and he was content to just sit and wait for direction, watching Tony’s movements, taking in his familiar and comforting presence.

Tony gazed at him fondly after a few moments, now dry. There was a twinkle in the scientist’s eye when Steve’s staring went on. “You in there, Steve?” he teased, wrapping his towel around his waist.

Steve rolled his eyes, smiled a little. “Yeah,” he replied, but he couldn’t deny that he’d been a little empty-headed for a second.

“Come on out of there, I wanna go to sleep,” Tony replied, pulling the second towel off the rack.

Steve tugged the plug out of the bottom of the tub, stood up and brushed off the bubbles still clinging to his skin. He held out a hand for his towel but Tony held it open instead, invited Steve into his arms. It made his cheeks a little warmer, despite everything that had already happened, but he didn’t hesitate to step out of the tub and into his partner’s embrace. Tony spent his time drying Steve off, in gentle scrubbing motions that only calmed Steve further, actually coaxed a yawn out of him. Tony smiled at that, tied the towel around his waist, and leaned up to kiss his jaw.

“I love you,” Steve said softly. He pressed their foreheads together.

“I love you too,” Tony replied, hugging him, brushing a calming hand up and down his back. “More than you know.”

That really was the cherry on top for Steve.

Tony took him by the hand and guided him back to their bed. The mess in the bathroom could be left for morning. FRIDAY shut off the music and lights when they passed the threshold to the bedroom, and the lights here were on, but significantly dimmer than in the bathroom. Tony had dried them off pretty well, and the soldier was truly tired now, and couldn’t be bothered to put on new sleep clothes. He dropped his towel and climbed on the bed, and Tony followed.

Tony spread out on his back, and Steve on his side, wrapped an arm around his midsection, sighed softly. The brunet stroked his arm gently, let out a yawn himself. He loved being snuggled up like this, especially knowing that the soldier’s sleep would be restful now, and that it would hopefully stay that way for a few days. He had enjoyed the bath too, even if there was still a tingle of arousal left in him that he ignored. Steve was content, and so was he.

Tony got a little more comfortable, glimpsed his partner’s peaceful face before the lights fizzled out. “We should do this more often,” he muttered in the dark, feeling drowsy and satisfied.

“Yeah,” Steve agreed, and his eyes slipped closed.

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave your thoughts in a comment! Thank you for reading <3  
> Also if you've never seen Blade Runner, this is the song Tony is reminded of. Love it 🤧 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wBkKED42oo


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